Shloka 11

अध्याय ७२ — राजधर्मः: प्रजारक्षण, कर-नीति, दण्ड-नीति, अमात्य-नियोजन

Chapter 72 — Royal Duty: protection of subjects, taxation, punishment, and appointments

Devanagari script

दापयित्वा कर धर्म्य राष्ट्र नीत्या यथाविधि । तथैतं कल्पयेद्‌ राजा योगक्षेममतन्द्रित:

Transliteration

Bhīṣma uvāca: dāpayitvā karaṃ dharmyaṃ rāṣṭra-nītyā yathā-vidhi | tathaitaṃ kalpayet rājā yoga-kṣemam atandritaḥ ||

Translation

Bhīṣma sprach: „Nachdem der König die rechtmäßigen Abgaben gemäß der Staatskunst und in der gebotenen gesetzlichen Weise erhoben hat, soll er sodann ohne Nachlässigkeit für Wohlfahrt und Sicherheit seiner Untertanen Vorsorge treffen.“

Word by Word

• दापयित्वा: having caused (to) give / having levied (made pay)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दापय् (√दा caus.)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), परस्मैपद-भावे, —, —, —

• करम्: tax
• करम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर
• Form: पुं, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• धर्म्यम्: righteous, in accordance with dharma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म्य
• Form: पुं, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• राष्ट्रम्: kingdom, realm
• राष्ट्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: राष्ट्र
• Form: नपुं, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• नीत्या: by policy, by proper governance
• नीत्या: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नीति
• Form: स्त्री, तृतीया, एकवचन

• यथा: as, according to
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• विधि: rule, prescribed procedure
• विधि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि
• Form: पुं, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• तथा: thus, in that manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• एतम्: this (one/this matter)
• एतम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: पुं, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• कल्पयेत्: should arrange, should provide
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कॢप् (कल्पयति)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, optative, प्रथम, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• योगक्षेमम्: welfare and security (acquisition & protection)
• योगक्षेमम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगक्षेम
• Form: पुं, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अतन्द्रितः: unwearied, vigilant, not negligent
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतन्द्रित
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• rājā (the king)
• prajā (subjects, implied by yoga-kṣema context)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A king may collect taxes, but only lawfully and in line with dharma and sound governance; the purpose of revenue is not personal gain but vigilant provision for the people’s yoga-kṣema—their prosperity, stability, and protection.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s instruction on royal duty (rājadharma) in the Śānti Parva, he advises the ruler on proper fiscal conduct: collect rightful taxes by due procedure and then actively organize the welfare and security of the subjects without negligence.